Albanian Language Media:

• Osmani: There should be increased security guarantees for Kosovo (media)
• Kurti: Chapter of dialogue must take into account Serbia’s attempt for annexation (Koha)
• Kurti: Attack in Banjska, an act of aggression by Serbia (media)
• Sarrazin: Kosovo, Serbia to return to table to implement Ohrid agreement (media)
• EEAS senior official on two-day visit to Kosovo (media)
• Escobar highlights importance of implementing Ohrid agreement (Telegrafi)
• Inside the Banjska Monastery (RTK)
• NATO defence ministers conclude two-day meeting in Brussels (media)
• “Court decides on early release for Gucati” (Telegrafi)

Serbian Language Media:

• Serbian List: Pristina to call for elections in north as soon as possible, ready to take part in it (Kosovo Online)
• Vucic expressed hope in a conversation with Li that cooperation between Serbia and China will be even stronger (Tanjug)
• Elek: If a humanitarian disaster happens to us, all international actors will be accomplices (Kosovo Online)
• More than 1000 people from northern Kosovo demand withdrawal of Kosovo special police forces (Radio KIM, social media)
• Kisnica: KLA on the road sign, Serbian language inscription crossed out (KiM radio, Danas, Radio Mitrovica sever, KoSSev)
• Ceku: Expropriation of property at the archaeological site of Ulpijana near Gracanica has begun (KoSSev)
• Antonijevic: Freedom of expression is also being denied to Serbs in Kosovo, US and EU have to react (Kosovo Online)
• Mitic on arrests of Serbs based on photos, comments on social media (Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Only Extremists Stand to Benefit from Fresh Serbia-Kosovo Violence (Balkan Insight)

International:

• Kosovo’s vast Trepca industrial complex in limbo for 23 years (Intellinews)
• Google is being sued in the US for discrimination against the Albanian language (CAN)
• Census Risks Sparking Political Storm in Divided Montenegro (BIRN)
• From Religious Figures to Journalists, and Minors in Peril (Balkan Insight)

 

 

Albanian Language Media  

 

Osmani: There should be increased security guarantees for Kosovo (media)

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said today after meeting U.S. senators Jeanne Shaheen and Peter Welch that there should be increased security guarantees for Kosovo, following the September 24th attack in Banjska in the north of Kosovo. Osmani said: “I want to thank you for your support to our country and to build greater security and stability. The meeting certainly focused on the latest developments in the country, especially the terrorist act against Kosovo sponsored and backed by Serbia. Such ill-will intentions do not end only with Kosovo but are a warning that Serbia intends to destabilise the whole region. The most important thing right now is to hold Serbia responsible, to hand over the terrorists and to increase the security guarantees for Kosovo and to protect the Kosovo-Serbia border from such attacks in the future. We will continue to ask for justice for our hero Afrim Bunjaku and for the act of aggression that Serbia committed against our country.”

Senator Shaheen said at the press conference that those responsible for the September 24th must be held accountable and said she hopes Serbia will cooperate on the matter. “We had planned a trip to the region. We wanted to use the opportunity after the September 24th events to come here and express our concerns. We know how concerning this was for Kosovo. We think it is important for those responsible for the September 24th to be held accountable and we hope that Serbia will cooperate on this,” she said. “This also shows that for long-term stability and peace in Kosovo there is a need for continued support from the EU and the U.S. in order to find a long-term peaceful coexistence with Serbia”.

Shaheen also stressed the importance of maintaining stability in the region and not having any conflicts. “The people of Kosovo know well why conflicts and violence are not a solution to differences, and it is important to do everything we can for a peaceful solution in the region. We are here to support Kosovo, a country that the United States have proudly supported for years,” she said.

Kurti: Chapter of dialogue must take into account Serbia’s attempt for annexation (Koha)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, after meeting U.S. senators Jeanne Shaheen and Peter Welch, said that he briefed them with the latest information after the September 24th attack, including Serbia’s involvement and proof that the attack in Banjska was part of a broader plan to annex the northern part of Kosovo through coordinated attacks in 37 locations. He argued that given Serbia’s tendencies for destabilisation, the dialogue cannot continue normally. Kurti said that Kosovo’s intelligence institutions have noticed an increased threat of attacks from Serbia. “I am the Prime Minister of all citizens of Kosovo, of all communities in our country, therefore, all the efforts for destabilisation must be stopped now. The EU-facilitated dialogue cannot continue as if nothing happened. The chapter of the dialogue for normalisation must take into account Serbia’s aggressive actions and its attempts to annex a part of Kosovo. Steps need to be made so that the dialogue has another chance to be successful. It is more urgent than ever before for Serbia to stop saying that it will never recognize Kosovo,” he said.

Kurti: Attack in Banjska, an act of aggression by Serbia (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in an interview with Liberation that the September 24th attack in Banjska in the north of Kosovo was an act of aggression by Serbia. Adding to his accusations against Serbian authorities for the attack and for planning to annex the north of Kosovo, Kurti said that the attackers had maps and plans to attack 37 different locations. “It was an act of aggression by Serbia, which violated our sovereignty and security. The value of weapons and equipment seized is over five million euros. The terrorists had maps and plans to attack 37 locations,” he said.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/4tsux8w7

Sarrazin: Kosovo, Serbia to return to table to implement Ohrid agreement (media)

German Envoy for the Western Balkans, Manuel Sarrazin, said in an interview with Deutsche Welle, that after the September 24th events, the situation in Kosovo continues to remain somewhat dangerous and called on both parties to undertake de-escalation measures. “The situation is somewhat dangerous, and this is why we are calling for de-escalation measures from the Serbian side but also from the Kosovar side. We have a clear promise from Serbia that they will not do anything foolish or involve the Serbian army or police in Kosovo. So we hope that the situation will be under control now, but we need to make further de-escalation steps in order to keep the situation quiet and to return to a productive atmosphere,” he said.

Sarrazin said that Serbia must make it clear that it will not engage in any efforts for violence against Kosovo and also that the authors of the September 24th attack must be prosecuted. “On the one hand we need de-escalation measures. Serbia must make it clear that it will make no efforts for violence against Kosovo. The authors of the September 24th attack must be prosecuted. It is also clear that something like this must not happen again, and that the international community will engage more in making the people in the north of Kosovo feel safe. Certainly, we have open issues with the Kosovar side about the mayors of municipalities and the special police, and these issues need to be addressed. We need to discuss these issues, but only addressing them will not solve the problem. This is why we need to get back to the table and implement the Ohrid agreement, which is a historic turning point, in February this year, but which has not been implemented yet. So we are trying to do both things: on the one hand, by applying pressure for de-escalation on the ground, but by not allowing the escalation of the situation to pass, and we want both sides to return to the table of talks and to agree on a roadmap for the implementation of the agreement,” he said. 

EEAS senior official on two-day visit to Kosovo (media)

The European Union Office in Kosovo said in a Facebook post today that during a two-day visit to Kosovo, the Director/Deputy Managing Director for Europe of the European External Action Service, Marko Makovec, met on Thursday representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church t the Banjska Monastery and discussed the role of religious leaders in fostering peaceful inter-communal relations. “Accompanied by the EU Ambassador in Kosovo and the Head of EULEX, Makovec also met several interlocutors in the north of Kosovo, including civil society representatives, and got briefed by EULEX. The visit, which concludes today with a series of meetings in Pristina, showcases the EU’s robust interest and engagement in Kosovo,” the Facebook post notes.

Escobar highlights importance of implementing Ohrid agreement (Telegrafi)

A delegation of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo met with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Gabriel Escobar, at the State Department, and discussed stability in the Balkans and peace in the region. Escobar highlighted the deeply rooted ties between the U.S. and the people of Kosovo. He highlighted the importance of the Ohrid agreement and called on both Kosovo and Serbia to swiftly implement the agreement.

The AmCham delegation, led by executive director Arian Zeka, shared stories about the missed opportunities of businesses in Kosovo because of tensions in the region, to which Escobar said that the normalisation of relations would unblock significant economic growth for Kosovo and the region.

“Both parties agreed on the great importance of stability and peace in the Balkans, as crucial elements for prosperity. They also discussed the connection between the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and the overall stability in the region,” a press release issued by American Chamber in Kosovo notes.

Inside the Banjska Monastery (RTK)

RTK reports that the Banjska Monastery suffered damages on September 24th when an armed Serb group attacked Kosovo Police, killing police officer Afrim Bunjaku. Kosovo’s institutions later said they are ready to repair the damage and the restoration started but not from local institutions. 

RTK managed to go to the site where the repairs were taking place and behind the cameras learned who was doing the repair. Several persons working on the repairs told the TV station that they are from Serbia and that they were doing voluntary work. The heads of the monastery did not agree to talk to the TV station. The head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Tomas Szunyog, visited the monastery on Thursday afternoon and was informed about the damage. His meeting with the heads of the monastery lasted one hour and they did not want to make any statements after the meeting. 

Kosovo’s Ministry for Culture meanwhile told RTK in a written statement that they were collecting information about interventions at the monastery and that they will make an official statement when they have concrete information.

NATO defence ministers conclude two-day meeting in Brussels (media)

NATO said in a post on X today that “NATO Defence Ministers concluded two days of meetings in Brussels on 12 October 2023. The Defence Minister discussions focused on deterrence and defence, our missions and operations, KFOR, Western Balkans and Ukraine. Allies strongly condemned Hamas’ indefensible and horrific attacks on Israel”.

“Court decides on early release for Gucati” (Telegrafi)

Acting leader of the KLA War Veterans Organisations, Faton Klinaku, confirmed to the news website today that the Specialist Chambers have decided on the early release of former war veterans’ leader Hysni Gucati. Asked if the same decision was made for Nasim Haradinaj, another senior member of the war veterans’ organization, Klinaku said a decision on his case is expected in two-three months. Telegrafi contacted the Specialist Chamber’s information office for comment but got no response. In May 2022, the court found Gucati and Haradinaj guilty of obstructing the administration of justice and were sentenced to four and a half years each in prison.

 

 

Serbian Language Media

 

Serbian List: Pristina to call for elections in north as soon as possible, ready to take part in it (Kosovo Online)

President of the Serbian List Goran Rakic called upon Pristina authorities today to call for mayoral and municipal elections in the north of Kosovo as soon as possible, with the message that they are ready to take part in them, Kosovo Online portal reports.

Rakic told a press conference that the “ball is now in Pristina’s yard”.

“It is necessary that those fake, illegal and illegitimate mayors and municipal councillors who are mistreating our citizens for months urgently resign and leave (the posts), go out from our buildings, because they are not representatives of our people. Their only purpose was to mistreat our citizens”, Rakic pointed out.

He warned that the lives of Serbian people are getting more difficult day after day, and that pressures on Serbs and Serbia were ‘unthinkable’.

“(Albin) Kurti’s regime does not stop violating agreements, laws and all the rights of the Serbian people, (does not stop) intimidation of the Serbian people. We must be united and in harmony, and try to be tailors of our own destiny under those unbearable circumstances and protect the people”, Rakic said, adding the Serbian List was making political decisions always in the interest of citizens, regardless if they were perceived as popular or not.

He added political decisions have also always been made in coordination with Belgrade and that is why they will listen to the advice of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

He also said that by leaving all Pristina’s institutions in November last year in the north, they managed to draw the attention of the world public that Kosovo is not a resolved issue, that Serbian people are exposed to sufferings and that it is necessary to establish a Community of Serbian Municipalities.

“(Albin) Kurti in the north under the disguise of expropriation carries out persecution of our people and appropriation of our land. Under the pretext of fighting crime he is sending special police forces to shoot at our people, arrest them and take them to the Pristina’s casemates”, Rakic said, and urged fellow citizens for prudence and unity. 

Vucic expressed hope in a conversation with Li that cooperation between Serbia and China will be even stronger (Tanjug)

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, today received the Chinese ambassador, Li Ming, and expressed his hope that the cooperation between Serbia and China will be even stronger in the coming period.

"Excellent meeting with the new Chinese Ambassador to Serbia, Li Ming. Bearing in mind the high level of cooperation with the People's Republic of China, I showed him all the premises and introduced him to all the associates in the Presidency," wrote Vucic in a post on  Instagram. 

He stated that he used the opportunity to praise the results of Belgrade and Serbia in the previous period and expressed the hope that cooperation between Serbia and China will be even stronger in the future.

"I especially emphasised how happy I am and what an honour it is for me to talk with the President of the Republic of China Xi Jinping next week", said Vucic, reported Tanjug.

Elek: If a humanitarian disaster happens to us, all international actors will be accomplices (Kosovo Online)

Director of Clinical Hospital Center (CHC) Kosovska Mitrovica, Dr. Zlatan Elek said at today's press conference that if a humanitarian disaster threatens this health facility due to the impossibility of delivering medicines, oxygen, and other medical supplies, all international actors will be complicit, reported Kosovo Online. 

He stated that at the moment in the CHC there is a lack of physiological solutions, certain antibiotics, and that the oxygen supplies are running out.

The CHC Director, Dr. Elek said that all relevant international factors are aware of the situation, adding that he hopes that the humanitarian disaster will be avoided. “If it is not avoided, all international factors are accomplices, including UNMIK and OSCE, the World Health Organization and all others," he said.

He added that the Republic of Serbia, the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, the relevant Ministry of Health and the Office for Kosovo and Metohija have provided all the necessary medicines, and the reason they are not delivered should be sought among the interlocutors in Pristina.

Commenting on the statements of the Kosovo Ministry of Health, which denied the situation in CHC Kosovska Mitrovica, Elek said that he had already submitted the evidence and pointed out that the source of this problem did not originate from September 24, when the Kosovo government closed the administrative crossings due to the events in Banjska.

"We certainly wouldn't be talking about this topic if the Ministry of Health service of the so-called authorities in Pristina was so up to date. In the period from 2021, we had two returns of medicines in the amount of 600,000 euros, under the explanation that this decision was made because the medicines do not have instructions in the Albanian language. Please bring me some bilingual ampoule, from the south side, and I will accept that as a valid reason. On the other hand, a request was submitted in 2022, but it was returned because the Brussels Agreement was completely annulled when it comes to the supply of medicines, we are referred to humanitarian supplies, and since then nothing has entered the CHC. And then, when we were supposed to have regular quarterly supplies, the authorities in Pristina put us in a situation where we get supplies once or twice a year," said Elek, adding that “Pristina's perfidious plan” is behind everything, which is "the emigration of Serbian population from the north of Kosovo".

Speaking about the oxygen supply in the CHC, Elek denied the information that it is not there at all but said that it is running out.

"Currently we have it, we are doing emergency surgical interventions. There's no reason for that kind of panic yet, and I'll call you when we run out of supplies. The situation is alarming and critical, and it is also illogical that an institution of this type, with 550 beds, depends on the signature of a mayor to import oxygen. We are supplied by central public procurement, which is announced by the Republic Fund for Health Insurance and the Ministry, and we ask that the medicines that are intended for us reach us, and nothing more than that," said Elek among other things.

More than 1000 people from northern Kosovo demand withdrawal of Kosovo special police forces (Radio KIM, social media)

Petition of citizens from Mitrovica North, Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok demanding withdrawal of Kosovo special police forces and their cases from northern Kosovo was signed by 1.050 persons thus far, Radio KIM reports.

The request for special forces withdrawal upon completion of the signing will be sent to the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), KFOR, EU Office in Pristina, Quint ambassadors and other relevant international stakeholders.

In a petition residents of northern Kosovo expressed concern and fear because of presence of the special forces and their acts in the municipalities where they live, adding that the special forces with their engagement “carry out violence against population and endanger security, cause discord among communities, carry out usurpation of private properties, carry out arbitrary arrest of their fellow citizens, limit freedom of movement and violate other human rights”.

“Presence and actions of the special forces under full combat gear impairs general sense of security of the residents and prevents normal life and co-existence that was attempted to be built over the last ten years”, reads the statement.

The petition requests unconditional withdrawal of Kosovo special police forces and their bases from northern Kosovo and that KFOR and EULEX take over the care for the security of the population.

Kisnica: KLA on the road sign, Serbian language inscription crossed out (KiM radio, Danas, Radio Mitrovica sever, KoSSev)

KiM radio reported that on the traffic sign for the Kisnica settlement ''KLA'' was written in red and the name in the Serbian language, which refers to this place, has been painted over.

The president of the Local Committee for Public Safety in Kisnica, Susica and Badovac, Snezana Jovanovic, reminded that this or a similar incident has not happened for the first time, but that the perpetrators have never been found.

"On this occasion, I call on Commander Bratislav Trajkovic to urgently investigate who did this. There is public video surveillance in Kisnica, and if it works, let him find the perpetrator," she said.

She expressed her hope that her report will not be ignored, that the police will find the perpetrator, inform the public and the Municipal Committee for Community Safety or the president of the municipality of Gracanica, Ljiljana Subaric.

According to Jovanovic claims, Bratislav Trajkovic does not submit daily reports on security in the territory of the municipality of Gracanica to the mayor, reported KiM radio.

Ceku: Expropriation of property at the archaeological site of Ulpijana near Gracanica has begun (KoSSev)

KoSSev portal reported last night that the Kosovo Minister of Culture, Hajrulla Ceku announced that with the first decision of the Kosovo government, the process of expropriation of property at the archeological site of Ulpijana began. 

"Given the importance of the archaeological heritage, our government has taken concrete steps to protect and promote this site, through financial support, professional scientific expertise, a management plan and close cooperation with international partners," said the minister in a Facebook post. 

KoSSev reported that Ceku, however, did not provide details on which parcels are included in the expropriation process, and how it will proceed, but only thanked the Kosovo Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure for cooperation and support during the process.

The archaeological site of the Roman and early Byzantine city of Ulpijana, whose remains cover an area of about 70 ha, is located about 1km from the Gracanica monastery.

Archaeological research was started in 1953. Numerous artefacts, jewellery, coins, and a large number of mosaics have been found there so far. In 2016, Ulpiana was arranged for tourists' visits and declared an archaeological park.

KoSSev recalled that a team of archaeologists recently discovered a written dedication of Emperor Justinian.

Antonijevic: Freedom of expression is also being denied to Serbs in Kosovo, US and EU have to react (Kosovo Online)

Lawyer Milan Antonijevic said, commenting on the arrest of Serbs from Kosovo based on pictures and posts on social networks, that the Kosovo authorities are further inciting tensions with such actions, although, as he points out, it is their obligation to respect freedom of movement, expression, and opinion, reported Kosovo Online. 

According to Antonijevic, Pristina must respect human rights, especially if it wants relations to normalise and EU punitive measures to be lifted. 

"Freedom of expression must be inviolable, especially in these turbulent times, if you talk about everything that happened in the north of Kosovo in the past weeks. The only thing that the Kosovo authorities have to work on is providing all freedoms and freedom of movement, which at the moment is partially limited, and freedom of expression and opinion. Unfortunately, I do not understand why the Kosovo authorities have decided to raise tensions in this way, their obligation is, if they want the sanctions to be lifted, to normalise relations, that these tensions and all this that somehow threatens the rights of Serbs prevent and stop in Kosovo," said Antonijevic to Kosovo Online.

According to him, the USA and the EU will not tolerate the Kosovo Police, nor the Prosecutor's Office abusing the right to freedom.

The Kosovo police searched, arrested and detained a Serb on the basis of a photo in which he was holding a weapon, which was proven not to be real, and Antonijevic expressed surprise that Pristina encroaches on human rights in such a harsh way, given that, as says, there are no elements for a criminal offence in this particular case.

"Posts on social networks can in certain cases endanger individuals if you look at the criminal codes of our country, but in this particular case, if we are talking about the publication of photos and inscriptions, there are no elements of a criminal offence and it really surprises me that searches and some things are conducted in this way that encroach on human rights, especially the sensitive Serbian communities in Kosovo," said Antonijevic.

He believes that punitive measures against Pristina will remain in force until such incidents are stopped and the rights of Serbs are fully protected.

Respecting human rights, as he states, is an obligation of Kosovo institutions according to the laws of Kosovo, and this, he points out, is within the competence of EULEX.

"Kosovo recognizes the European Convention on Human Rights, although it is not a member of the Council of Europe, but on the other hand, the EULEX mission is there to promote respect for human rights. Institutions that have direct support from the EU and the US are obliged to react in any case to prevent if there was exceeding the authority of both the police and the Prosecutor's Office," concluded Antonijevic.

Mitic on arrests of Serbs based on photos from social media (Kosovo Online)

Expert Associate at the Institute for International Policy and Economy and former journalist Aleksandar Mitic told Kosovo Online that arrests of Serbs by Kosovo police based on the photos but also comments posted on social media represents “a gross violation of human rights and brings the ‘hunt against Serbs’ to the higher level aiming at ethnic cleansing of northern Kosovo”.

According to him, EULEX should protect the Serbs in those cases, but that this mission, as he said, “pulled their hands off their mandate”.

“EULEX should care about those cases in particular, because this mission has the mandate to control such proceedings relating to the rule of law (…)”, Mitic said.

He assessed that “the hunt against the Serbs on social media” represents yet another concerning move by Pristina, adding they will continue such a trend unless there is stronger political reaction from Quint states.

He also noted that if one “would look into wider picture, for the last year and a half, it would be seen that Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti persistently works on escalation, violent taking over of the north, suffocating any resistance of the Serbs there and interrupting links of the Serbian people in Kosovo with Serbia, sometimes with the consent and encouragement from Quint states”. 

 

 

Opinion 

 

Roberts: Only Extremists Stand to Benefit from Fresh Serbia-Kosovo Violence (BIRN)

Opinion piece by Sir Ivor Roberts, British ambassador to Yugoslavia from 1994 to 1997 and later a British envoy to the Balkans. He is the author of the book “Conversations with Milosevic”. After Yugoslavia, he served as British ambassador to Italy and Ireland and he is former President of Trinity College, Oxford.

Kosovo and Serbia have no interest in a new war; the challenge is to stop hard-right elements in both countries – and Russia – from sabotaging the chances of peace

On September 24 there was a major incident in Kosovo at a small village called Banjska, in northern Kosovo, when Serbian paramilitaries clashed with Kosovo’s police force. Serbia’s President, Aleksandar Vučić, appeared to move Serbian Army units closer to Kosovo’s borders. Fears of an outbreak of war between Serbia and Kosovo mounted rapidly, fuelled by alarmist media reporting and conflicting accounts of what had happened, and international diplomats scrambled to defuse the tension. As the dust settled, it was clear that huge damage had been done to the negotiating process. But was the region really on the brink of war, as many claimed?

I don’t think so. As the famous Prussian military theorist and general Karl von Clausewitz stated: “War …is a true political instrument, a continuation of political activity by other means.” Politicians resort to war when they see no means of achieving their aims through negotiation. But Benjamin Disraeli, a generation younger than Clausewitz and, significantly, a politician rather than a soldier, riposted that war is never a solution, only an aggravation. The point where the two thinkers intersect is that war can be a part of a political process, but only if it brings advantage. As things stand, I do not see conditions where the political leaders in what used to be Yugoslavia see any advantage in fighting.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3w4fczar

 

 

International 

 

Kosovo’s vast Trepca industrial complex in limbo for 23 years (Intellinews)

High on a hillside in northern Kosovo there’s a little English village. The 1930s style houses, billiard hall and cinema wouldn’t look out of place in suburbia — if they weren’t in ruins now — and they are surrounded by bungalows that are still inhabited by the families of miners working at the huge Trepca mine nearby.

They were built at the beginning of the boom decades for the mine that, with a hiatus during the Second World War, continued under socialist Yugoslavia until the 1980s. This obscure corner of northern Kosovo became the site of one of Europe’s largest mines. Yet since Kosovo’s war of independence, efforts to revive production have been patchy and largely unsuccessful.

The English architecture is a relic of the 1920s and 1930s when the Selection Trust Ltd. took over management of the mine. The British company carried out an extensive exploration programme, then secured the concession in 1926 under the leadership of American-born industrialist Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, nicknamed the ‘King of Copper’.

As well as working the mine, the British company opened one of Kosovo’s first cinemas for Trepca’s workers and introduced tennis, jazz and billiards to Kosovo.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/324peasn

Google is being sued in the US for discrimination against the Albanian language (CAN)

Google has been sued in the Supreme Court of California for not including the Albanian language in the languages supported by the technology giant.

The lawsuit in this case was filed by Haki Dervishi - an American citizen residing in Palm Springs California, recently decorated by President Biden with the Decoration and Lifetime Achievement for continuous contribution to the American nation, and Dr. Neshad Asllani - well-known Kosovar doctor, founder of the "Kosovo Center for Human Rights" and board member of the "Decade for Human Rights" organisation in New York.

The lawsuit states that this discrimination has had major consequences in the media, marketing, economic and technological development in Albania, Kosovo and wherever the Albanian language is spoken.

The plaintiffs believe that Google's continued discrimination of the Albanian language has caused Albanian speakers to be discriminated against from the rest of the world in business development, marketing and journalism, as they are excluded from the Google Ads and Google Adsense platforms.

After this lawsuit was filed by Dervishi and Asllani, it is expected that Google will examine this lawsuit with interest and consider adding the Albanian language as an official language supported by Google.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/35883545

Census Risks Sparking Political Storm in Divided Montenegro (BIRN)

The register of a country’s population should be a routine statistical operation – but shadows of the past and surging ethnic tensions have made the census a potentially explosive issue in Montenegro.

While Montenegrin authorities claim the next population census should be a routine statistical endeavour, ongoing political and national tensions risk increasing sharp ethnic divisions in the tiny Adriatic country, analysts warn.

A census in Montenegro will be held from November 1 and the first results could be expected by the end of the year.

For decades, censuses have been a sensitive topic in the small multiethnic country of 625,000 people, mostly made up of Montenegrins and Serbs.

According to the last census, from 2011, roughly 45 per cent of the population identify as Montenegrin, 30 percent as Serb, 8.6 per cent as Bosniak and 4.5 per cent as Albanian.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/38rymk4r

From Religious Figures to Journalists, and Minors in Peril (Balkan Insight)

In September, digital controversies involving religious figures, threats to journalist and child safety concerns ignited debates in the Balkans, exposing the challenges of the digital landscape.

In the intricate web of the digital realm, the Balkans in September experienced a series of incidents involving religious figures, contentious content and the ensuing digital outrage.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, an alarming incident involving domestic violence and the subsequent online backlash prompted the controversial comments of a Catholic priest. Meanwhile, in Romania, the cancellation of screenings about an Orthodox priest sparked debate, while in North Macedonia a priest made unverified claims about LGBT-themed content, inciting hate speech.

In Montenegro, journalist Balša Knežević found himself entangled in legal troubles due to online content targeting the Serbian Orthodox Church. Journalists in Serbia faced a convergence of physical threats and online abuse, putting their work and safety further at risk.

Albanian online media outlet JOQ meanwhile unearthed a series of disturbing incidents involving minors in the digital space, raising concerns about the safety of the younger generation.

Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2p9e584j